random blocks of colour

I've been getting inspired about making a quilt. Scott said much the same thing at some stage last year. Maybe it's something we can create together?

I've been browsing and thinking about what and how.

At Angry Chicken I've discovered technique of tying instead of doing all the stitching associated with full-on quilting. Methinks this is a good technique!

I meandered through some of the links originating on Amy's blog.

At Mecozy there are beautifully pieced retro fabric quilts, but I think the quilted tea cozies are even more inspiring.

At Anna Von Mertens there are gorgeous big colour block arrangements. Subtle shifts in colour layered with stitched drawings. I like Meet and Separate.

And the women of the Gee's Bend quilters collective have been hard at work with a myriad of techniques and patterns. The history and inspiration of their work is impressive.

Of course it's nice to look at some fabrics too.

I wonder if there is still a sale on around the corner at Patchwork on Central?

Sunbathing

Here are two sleeves/upper backs of the felted tweed cardi. They have been blocked, and measured and blocked again, (kind of has a Sarah Lee ring to it I think?) before taking in some sunshine on the front porch.

In the middle there was some brow furrowing regarding the number of rows which didn't knit up to the right length across the upper back (I should have measured rather than counting rows), followed by some more furrowing to figure out how to pick up stitches so that it wouldn't show on the reverse stocking stitch side, and some extra knitting was undertaken.

Now I just need to sew it together.

I reached this stage about 10 days ago, and procrastinated my way through Easter.

My excuse is just that I am a perfectionist when it comes to finishing off, and right now picking up some other knitting while perched on the sofa watching TV has more appeal than getting out the safety pins and sewing needle.

Maybe tomorrow night I'll get started...

Tidbits

I've come across some amusing and creative knitted art in the last few days, including tampon cosies and an fertile glove by Felieke van der Leest and knit covered household goods by Janet Morton in Toronto.

Bakin' Brownies

I'm in a bit of a baking mood at the moment (although I haven't quite yet been enticed to join the cupcake frenzies I've witnessed on some other blogs). Tonight my post work wind down included baking a batch of brownies for a semi-social meeting at work tomorrow.



The recipe is sooooo simple, and they taste sooooo good. When I was in Uni, I made a batch with one of my buddies and we ate it in a single evening. (With the benefit of hindsight, I would have to say this is rather overindulgent. I wouldn't recommend doing it unless you are a sugar and chocolate addict and can cope with the hit to your system!).

The recipe comes from Canada, from mum's mom, otherwise known as Grumpy Granny (God rest her upset soul):

Mix
1/2 cup cocoa powder with
125g (31/2oz) melted butter
in a medium sized bowl.
Then add
2 beaten eggs
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup sifted white flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Mix well.
Pour into a buttered 20cm square pan.
Lick the beater/spoon clean while you bake it for 20 to 30 minutes at 160degC (350degF) until the sides have pulled away from the pan.

It will sink a bit as it cools but that's just because it is so rich and fudgy and divine.... Mmmmmmm

Window shopping

This weekend, in between some social catch-ups that were long overdue, I managed to squeeze in an hour wandering through the city centre.

Sadly, the Fashion Festival is over, so I missed out on seeing flocks of extremely stylish persons mingling with the contrastingly dishevilled general plebs. When I used to work in city I used to enjoy the sight of the fashion crowd at this time of year- the effect was one of moving window displays, or fashion magazines come to life, perfectly styled in the latest trends and artfully accessorised. Many images and inspiring ideas for the budding shopping victim.

Thankfully some of the more dressed up conventional windows were still in-tact, including the fabulous window gallery at Craft Victoria. I present for you some snaps of A Ragged Edge

(These critters reminded me of Peng Peng’s sock monkeys)

and a window full of textural knitted stuff including chunky rag knitting made from strips of fine machine knitting (see- there had to be a knitting tie- in somewhere!)


chunky knitting needles and a cute flower pin

Whip: stitch

I feel like I haven’t posted about any knitting WIPs for a long time, which is not particularly good for a knitting blog, so just to record the fact that I have been (slowly) whipping up a few items, here is a status report.



The main projects mingling in the current projects basket (and shown here laid out on the floor) are as follows:

Item #1: Felted tweed cardigan (Otherwise known as the Scanlan and Theodore rip-off cardi)
Intended Recipient: Me!


The knitting may be complete- I have been inching along on the last sleeve, a few rows here and a few rows there, and completely surprised myself when I picked it up last weekend and I was ready to cast off. However I am a bit nervous that there may be some knitting modification required (being as it was done without a pattern), subject to how it goes when I block it (hopefully this weekend).

Item #2: Scott (a modified version of Jo Sharp Sandalwood)
Intended Recipient: Scott



This is mere centimetres away from completion of sleeve number one. I’m really pleased with the way that the Jo Sharp is knitting up- hard to photograph such a dark colour though

Item #3: Field of Flowers scarf
Intended recipient: Mum



I took this over to Perth (sans needles) to “give” to mum on her Birthday in December. I brought it back with me (sans wrapping) to "complete" some time in between all the other stuff I am doing. I’m still enjoying the lace work, but the 2ply wool and skinny needles to mean that I actually need to pay attention to what I am doing, so this is taking a little while longer than I had planned...

Whip: Lemons and Eggs

It was Scott’s birthday last weekend, so I whipped up a lemon meringue pie (aka Birthday Cake) for the evening family gathering. It seemed to disappear in about .. ohhh.. two seconds? I count that as a success.



(I also whipped up breakfast in bed for the two of us, but that’s another story)
The recipe I used is an old family recipe- well, I think Mum originally got it from a magazine, but I grew up with Mum making it every year for my brother’s birthday, so I think it qualifies as "family". The method for making the filling is quite unlike any other lemon pie/tart I know- you make a sweet cornflour and lemon sludge which you cook for about 10 minutes until it is fairly clear and then add some eggs and lemon and butter before pouring into the pastry and baking- but it does work in it’s own peculiar way.

(I also won a cake baking competition (amongst friends) with it a couple of years ago- the first time I attempted making it I am pleased to say- and believe me that is another very long and sordid tale.. Hi Elena!!)

My holiday at Cape(let) Daydream

I’ve been contemplating my next new project- specifically a pluckyfluff shruglet/capelet/thing. Daydreaming is so nice to indulge in, and it's keeping me spurred on to finish things off (after all, the projects bag which is sitting in the lounge is only SO big, and I don't like having too many projects underway).

I’ve been spending a fair bit of time browsing and uncovering new blogs and sites in my quest for inspiring ideas. I’ve managed to loose at least one of the good ideas I saw (I could have sworn it was on Knitty but it seems to have been my imagination!), but currently I’m feeling fairly inspired by Beau, by Kim Hargreaves.

Glitty Knitty has made one that looks just like the photo in the magazine! It’s amazing how I seem to get drawn in by different sites and links- there’s so much inspiring stuff out there.

ps
And I’ve also progressed with my plan to knit Clapotis later this year, inspired by so many versions out there already, I've ordered 3 skeins of Lornas Laces, Lion and Lamb, in Vera


Thanks to the assistance of fellow S'n'B'er Lisa, who brought some dreamy samples to S'n'B last week, and who’s shipping some in to Melbourne in the coming months

Change of seasons

Summer seems to be disappearing over the horizon (sigh) but (thankfully) the cleaning and sorting seems to be nearing an end.

After a full weekend of such things the new home seems more settled and ordered and I feel like I have space to think and create at last. The weekend was polished off with some friends coming around for dinner (including house tour, gossip and pattern swap). Sorry no photo but I can describe it for you:

Dinner consisted of a Beef Hungarian Goulash, flavoured with sweet paprika and served with fettuccini and fresh bread, followed by a peach and raspberry crumble with vanilla icecream. The main course was a real pleasure to make- I was feeling exhausted by the sorting and cleaning, but preparing a slowly cooked casserole (chop, chop, more chopping, then sear, sauté and stew for ages) is something I find therapeutic.

The recipe came from Slow Cooking by Joanne Glynn- a fabulous book full of many more similarly therapeutic dishes. Bring on winter!

The Manolo

I have just discovered Manolo's Shoe Blog. I'm hoping that the Manolo won't mind if I go back for glamour shoe and gossipy trash installments at fairly regular intervals. (tee heee, Renee Zellweger: behold the little goth mermaid indeed...)

Plucked and Fluffy

This morning as I sat browsing the net for longer than I should, I sensed a presence at the front door, with a rustling sound and a shadow through the venitian blinds. Arising from my morning daze, I opened the door just as the postman disappeared from sight around the neighbour’s fence. And sitting on the doorstep was a package. A package for me! What a nice way to start the day!

It contained a nice piece of pluckyfluff:

otherwise known as La La, and seen here making itself at home with in my French Market bag next to the Rowan felted tweed.
A birthday giftvoucher from Alison, selected by me. The colours are even more delicious in real life than I expected, and textures are gorgeous! Lexi’s stuff goes quickly: if you see something you like I recommend emailing straight away to avoid disappointment...

I’m quite inspired by this piece- could it revoloutionise my wardrobe? At times I do feel my wardrobe needs a spark of excitement and (god forbid) a tad more colour. I’m thinking this will be great either for a short shrug, to be tugged over a cap sleeved or sleeveless top, or maybe a very long narrow scarf. I think the shrug will need more yarn (and a pattern.. but I’m sure I can invent something). Luckily it seems to work very well with my Rowan felted tweed (as in the photo) and also some mohair I have in the stash from Martas.. so lots of ideas to dream about...